Richard

Founding Apostle

Jim Beam Devil’s Cut

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
45% ABV/90 Proof
$25
Widely Available

What the Distillery Say:
As bourbon ages, a portion of the liquid is lost from the barrel due to evaporation—that’s the “Angel’s Share.” After aging, when the bourbon is dumped out of the barrel, a certain amount of whiskey is left trapped within the wood of every barrel.
We call that the “devil’s cut.”

To create Jim Beam® Devil’s Cut™, an extraordinary new bourbon experience, we developed a proprietary process that actually pulls the rich whiskey trapped inside the barrels’ wood after they’re emptied. We hold this barrel-treated extract until it develops the proper balance of bourbon notes, then blend it with 6 year old bourbon and bottle at 90 proof. The result: a robust, premium bourbon with deep color, aroma and character.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Initially it’s very sharp, tannic, and alcoholic. Water opens it to be more citrus and botanical.
Palate: The cherry sweetness of Jim Beam is in the back lurking in the shadows but it’s well behind the smoke and oak. Water does nothing good for the palate. It brings forth a little fruitiness but kills the rest of the flavor.
Finish: It’s all smoke and wood on the finish. It’s a medium length finish and a little dry.
Comments: Fred Noe and the folks at Jim Beam don’t want to get too specific about the “proprietary process that actually pulls the rich whiskey trapped inside the barrels’ wood after they’re emptied” but it sounds a hell of a lot like sweating barrels which is something folks in Kentucky have been doing for years. Most likely the “Devil’s Cut” that’s being mixed with 6 year old Jim Beam is either some residual left after dumping or alcohol sweated out with water and heat. Either way it’s an interesting idea. It’s not nearly as harsh as 4 year old Jim Beam White Label and not as sweet as JB 7 Year. I like it. It’s not a stand out bourbon but it’s interesting. One odd side note; with this filling in the 6 year old spot Beam now has products at every year from 4 through 9. That seems a little extreme to me but they’re selling it so who am I to argue.
Rating: Average

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Old Crow

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Old Crow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
40% ABV/80 Proof
$8 to $10 per liter
Found on bottom shelves around the country

What the Distillery Says:

They don’t really say a whole lot. Press on bottom shelf brands is sparse at best.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rubbing alcohol, moldy flowers, and wet dog.
Palate: Harsh, a little sweet, and did I mention harsh? Better than Black Velvet though.
Finish: I wish this didn’t stick around as long as it does. It’s bitter and hot on the finish.
Comments: I saw this four $4 a pint when I was at the store recently and thought what the hell. Interestingly, I purchased it the same day I picked up a bottle of Macallan 18 Year Old so I got a pretty funny look from the guy behind the counter. This is an old brand with history dating back to the 1830’s. It’s named after James Crow, a Scottish immigrant who started distilling near Frankfort back then. It was a favorite drink of Ulysses S. Grant but his Old Crow is not this Old Crow. Old Crow now is a 3 year old straight bourbon made from the Jim Beam recipe by Beam Global/Fortune Brands. It’s what you would expect from such a product. No surprises here. I would definitely regulate this to the mixer cabinet if you’re unfortunate enough to own a bottle.
Rating: Probably Pass

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Kirkland’s Signature Bourbon

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Kirkland Signature Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
51.5% ABV/103 Proof
$20 per liter
Costco Exclusive

What the Distillery Says:
This Kirkland Signature “small batch: bourbon has been aged 7 years in charred American white oak barrels. Complex aromas of caramel, molasses, citrus, and spice with a faint smoky background and a long rich finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: A little musty with hints of cherries.
Palate: Very sweet and peppery with a lot of oak. It gets a little tannic with water.
Finish: Very dry on the finish with a good bit of linger.
Comments: This little jewel from Costco is a Beam product although they try pretty hard to hide it. It’s listed as distilled and bottle by The Clear Springs Distilling Co. in Clermont and Frankfort, Kentucky. Clears Springs was a name owned by Beam until it was sold to Buffalo Trace right before this bottling was released. We had to dig up the federal filing for the label to ascertain that this was actually made by Beam. Looking at just the label and raw specs it looks like it would be Baker’s with just a bit more water. However, it actually tastes more like Knob Creek. I don’t actually know how they make this because bulk whiskey sales are kind of like the elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about in bourbon circles. But to me this tastes like Knob and Baker’s love child. It’s as good as either but for less than half the price.
Rating: Stands Out, Great Value

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Booker’s

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Booker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
62.45% ABV/124.9 Proof
$56 to $60
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
In 1992, Booker Noe introduced his own signature bourbon, Booker’s® True Barrel Bourbon. Inspired by a 200-year-old tradition, Booker’s is the first bourbon bottled straight-from-the-barrel, uncut and unfiltered. First created as a holiday gift for his special friends, Booker’s whiskey was so well-received that he decided to make it available to bourbon lovers worldwide; much to the joy of spirit connoisseurs everywhere.

Unlike anything you have ever tasted, Booker’s is one of the only uncut, unfiltered, straight-from-the-barrel, bourbons available today. It’s bottled at its natural proof of between 121 and 127, and aged between six and eight years. Booker’s Bourbon delivers a range of intense flavors from oak tannin and smoky vanilla to lighter tones of mocha and coffee. Add spring water to customize the taste and finish to your palate. The complexity provided by this straight-from-the-barrel bourbon makes Booker’s the rarest, absolute best bourbon you’ll ever taste.

Tasting Notes
Age: 6 to 8 years
Proof: 121 to 127
Color: Deep, rich, smoky amber
Aroma: Big oak, vanilla, smoky charcoal
Taste: Intense, fruit, tannin, tobacco
Finish: Clean, long, intense

What Richard Says:
Nose: I would expect the nose to be very hot at bottling proof but it’s surprisingly muted. With water it turns to burnt sugar, leather, and oranges.
Palate: Oily, peppery, and hot. Water sweetens the pot and tamps down the heat and pepper. Candied apples come to mind.
Finish: Hot and lingering. Water makes it clean and short.
Comments: Nothing against Booker or his namesake bourbon but I like this one the least of the Small Batch Collection. It’s a nice bourbon and it definitely stands out from the crowd but it doesn’t really do anything for me.
Rating: Stands Out

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Baker’s

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
53.5% ABV/107 Proof
$44 to $50
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Named after Baker Beam, grand nephew of the legendary Jim Beam, Baker’s® Bourbon is seven-years-old and hand-bottled at 107 proof. Embracing over six generations of distilling experience, Baker’s Bourbon utilizes a special strain of jug yeast that has been in the family for over 60 years. This time tested yeast provides Baker’s with a silky smooth texture and consistent taste from batch to batch.

The mix of grains, yeast, and seven soothing years in new oak combine to give this bourbon a deeply mellow, richly flavorful, medium-bodied taste with a delicious aroma full of fruit and vanilla. Baker’s is best served in a snifter with a splash of spring water.

Tasting Notes
Age: 7 years
Proof: 107
Color: Warm amber, tawny, nut brown
Aroma: Fruit, vanilla, caramel
Taste: Toasted nuts, fruit, vanilla, silky texture
Finish: Sweet, smooth, medium-long

What Richard Says:
Nose: This nose definitely needs water. I get a lot of cedar with a layer of mint.
Palate: Toasted pine nuts, a huge amount of vanilla, and a little dark fruit sweetness. It’s very chocolaty too.
Finish: Shorter than expected and surprisingly smooth even at bottling strength.
Comments: Baker’s I always find interesting because it’s surprisingly different from both standard 7 to 8 year old Beam and Knob Creek. It’s surprisingly smooth with tons of chocolate and vanilla. It also has less of that cherry character I tend to find throughout Beam bourbons. Easily, this is my favorite of the bunch.
Rating: Must Try

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